Courtesy of Russo Young
Amidst the high plateau of the Chihuahuan Desert and beneath the Texan sun lies a little town called Marfa–home to the annual Marfa Film Festival.
With not a single art-house in sight for over 500 miles, the Marfa Film Festival is an enclave of creativity and cinematic passion that brings people of all ages and interests together from across the country. With its outdoor film screenings set in the breathtaking landscapes surrounding the area, Marfa is a truly unique event that brings cinema to life through the eyes and minds of individuals.
“One of the things we wanted to do from the beginning was show classics outside under the stars. We were very fortunate to have the Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow come onboard to help us screen 35mm archival prints on their giant 40×20 foot screen, or else it might not have worked out so fast,” explains c0-founder and director of the festival, Robin Lambaria.
“One of the best things is to watch people lean back and look up in the middle of movies–at times there are stars on the screen and you can’t see the line where the screen ends and the sky begins.”
According to Lambaria, the festival attracted more than 1,000 people last year, people who came not only from Texas but also as far as London and the Virgin Islands.
Known for screening various genres of films, including but not limited to foreign and independent movies, Marfa is an ideal location for discovering that which is new and innovative. Much like the Sundance Festival, it is a celebration of the underpaid and mind-blowing cinematic journeys that experimental filmmakers take their viewers on.
“International films are something we rejoice in playing whenever we can. This year we have films from Argentina, Israel, China, Peru, France and more. Good Cats, a feature from China, is an example of something completely foreign–exclusively shot in wide angles, it describes a Chinese death metal band breaking the fourth wall to sing over scenes, yet it is also about rural China struggling to adapt to a new business climate that’s bringing developers and profiteers to buy up property and muscle all the land-owners, which is as American a theme as you can get in the movies. It’s obscure and difficult and I love it,” co-founder and programmer of Marfa, Cory Van Dyke, remarks.
Showcasing over 50 different films, documentaries, and shorts, the festival is a haven for undiscovered filmmakers and aspiring artists.
“I meet young filmmakers all the time that are so talented. Part of the joy of this job is getting to watch people grow and succeed. There’s a group from my hometown, San Antonio, which made an amazing film called Cruzando. I’m really excited for them as well; we will be the TX debut of that,” Lambaria exclaims.
There have been numerous instances in the past year in which movies showcased at the Marfa Film Festival have won Independent Spirit Awards. Last year, Marfa held the honor of showing the second screening of Man On Wire, which later went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
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